Across India eBook

Passing into a smaller court, they found it contained
dogs and cats in the same unfortunate and suffering
condition.

“It would be a mercy to kill them, and thus
put them out of misery,” said Dr. Hawkes to
the native officer with him.

“Do you serve your sick and disabled in that
way?” asked the official.

He could not answer this appeal for the want of time,
and they passed into a place for birds. Venerable
crows, vultures, buzzards, and other bipeds, most
of them with their plumage gone, pass the remainder
of their lives in peace in this curious retreat.
At the end of the enclosure a heron proudly strutted
about with a wooden leg, among lame hens and blind
geese and ducks. Rats, mice, sparrows, and jackals
have an asylum in the Jain hospital.

“I should like to have some of our people take
a lesson from this institution,” said Mrs. Woolridge
as they left the place.

The carriages then conveyed them to a Hindu temple.

CHAPTER XVIII

A SNAKY SPECTACLE
IN BOMBAY

On the way to the temple the carriages stopped at
a horse bazaar, in which Mr. Woolridge was especially
interested, for some very fine animals were to be
seen, including some choice Arabians. They were
looked over and admired by the party. The best
of them were valued at from six hundred to twelve
hundred dollars; and the cheapest were hardly less
than two hundred dollars. None but the wealthiest
people of the city could afford to ride after these
animals.

Around these stables were numerous cafes, and a collection
of people of various nationalities were gathered in
front and within them. Arabs, negroes, Bedouins,
and others were consuming spicy drinks; a group of
Persians in picturesque costumes were regaling themselves
with great dough-balls, made of flour, sugar, and
milk; and dirty visitors from Cabul were feeding themselves
on dates.

Still in the Black Town, the carriages stopped at
the Chinese Bazaar, though the tourists did not alight.
It extended to the shore of the bay, and was crowded
with all sorts of people. On the quays were no
end of Asiatic goods, mostly of the coarser kind,—­the
horns of cattle, tortoise shells, elephants’
tusks, and bags of pepper, spices, and coffee.

“This looks like Constantinople,” said
Miss Blanche, as four big coolies, bearing a large
box of goods suspended from a pole resting on their
shoulders, passed them, struggling under the burden
they bore.

“Oriental customs are much the same wherever
you find them,” replied Sir Modava.

“But if they had a hand-truck, such as they
use in the stores of our country, they could do their
work with far less labor,” suggested Scott.

“Those coolies would not use them,” added
the Hindu gentleman. “I have seen them
in London, and these laborers would regard them as
an invention of the Evil One to lead them away from
their religion.”